In His Own Image

Hubris in children of celebrities is not anything unusual. Arrogance of the extent manifested in Peter Gabel, however, takes some explaining.

Acquiring an entire college to remake in his own image is certainly part of it, but even the composition of a cult of devotees — bought and paid for with his inherited wealth — seems lacking in explicating the messianic mess he made at New College of California.

One of the explanations posited by former faculty from the 1980s, is that the Gabel milieu had some heady times during that era of recreational cocaine abuse. Knowing now the lasting effects this drug can have on the brains of habitual users decades later, we suspect this might be a contributing factor to Gabel’s ongoing delinquency. We only hope his delusionary coterie can be expelled in time to save the school. At present, that prospect is not looking good.